Ashes of A Future
by eskimokisses2
Summary: Brooke Davis and Haley James Scott both had plans for their futures. And a baby was not part of it. Set after 4x01, Brucas with some Naley.
1. Burn It To The Ground

I do not own One Tree Hill or any of the characters.

Background: Set in beginning of Season 4, where we don't know if Brooke or Haley is pregnant. In this story, Nathan and Haley had just gotten back together recently, and had just "got together" physically for the first time since their break-up, hence Haley not being on birth control. Brooke and Lucas are officially broken up. This is a BRUCAS story.

Please leave reviews, they inspire me to want to continue! Thanks so much!

-----------------------

Brooke Davis paced around the wooden floor of Karen's Café, waiting for her friend Haley James Scott to emerge from the back. She tried to hold back the tears that she had been avoiding all day. In the past week her entire life had changed drastically. She'd lost her boyfriend, her best friend, and discovered that she was pregnant, all in the time span of a week. That had to be some kind of record.

"Brooke!" Haley called, waving a dish rag in the air to get her attention. She ran her free hand through her slightly tousled light brown hair, as she walked over to meet her worried friend.

"Are you alright?"

"Let me check." Brooke pretended to think, glaring at Haley. "No."

"Brooke, I know your upset but, you know I'm going through the exact same thing as you."

"Okay, great so we can be the two skanky knocked up whores together."

"What?" Haley rolled her eyes, pretending to wipe an already clean table as a customer walked through the door. "No one is going to think that."

"_No_? Because that's what Rachel called me when she caught me trying on maternity clothes!" Brooke exclaimed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"She caught you? Brooke!" Haley cried, quickly looking around the café.

"Okay first off, get that germ infested rag away from me. And secondly, calm down because she doesn't suspect anything." Brooke declared, watching Haley warily.

"Are you sure? Because she is the last person on this planet who I would confide in about something like…this."

"She bought it, Haley. I promise." Brooke assured her, "I mean, we're not even sure that either one of us is preggers."

"Brooke, I took _seven_ different pregnancy tests, and they were _all_ positive. You took _ten_different ones, all positive. I don't think it's a coincidence."

"That's true, but I bought them from the gas station. I mean they always get my change wrong, so how reliable could there pregnancy tests be?" Brooke reasoned, ignoring the angry stare Haley was giving her. "I'm just saying, don't be surprised when the doctor says neither one of is is pregnant."

"Let's hope your right."

"I always am." Brooke grinned, "But if on the very slim chance that I'm wrong, what do I do? I can't tell him, Haley."

"Have you guys ever talked about it, before this?"

"Yeah, a little. He said he'd be there for me, and …the baby. But, he seemed so shaken by even the idea of it, I never really brought it up again."

"That's probably because, of how he grew up. The whole Dan and Karen scenario." Haley sighed, sliding onto one of the stools. "If you _are_ pregnant, you have to tell him, Brooke."

"I _can't_, Haley." Brooke shook her head, "He has so much he wants to do with his life and with his basketball career. I just, I can't take that away from him."

"What about _you_, Brooke? You have so much going for you, too." Haley grabbed her friends arm, gently. "Lucas is a good guy."

"Exactly, he's a _good_guy. He will throw his life away, to do the 'right' thing. I can't do that to him, Haley."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I don't know." Brooke muttered, "We're not even together anymore, I jus-."

"Wait, you guys broke up?" Haley gasped, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to last night but, you dropped the whole pregnancy bomb, before I could. And then I dropped mine, so that seemed a tad more important."

"I'm so sorry, Brooke." Haley got up and wrapped her arms around Brooke, closing her eyes tightly.

"What happened, exactly?"

"Peyton happened."

"_What_?"

"Well, Peyton resurrected her _supposedly_ dead feelings for Lucas from the grave." Brooke said, "And I guess she kissed him in the library, during the school shooting."

"Oh my God, where have I been?"

"It's okay, you weren't the only one that was pathetically unaware." Brooke gave her a small smile, "So what about you and Nathan? I mean, he'll be ecstatic about this."

"Somehow I don't think so." Haley bit her lip, "I'm not going to tell him for awhile. He's still recovering from the accident, and this really wouldn't help things. And I just think he would blame me for this, and I'm just not ready to face it all yet."

"Why would he blame you? I mean it takes two to make three."

"Yes, but it takes one to use birth control."

"_Right_." Brooke smirked, "Nice move, tutor slut."

"Brooke!" Haley gasped, swatting her with her rag.

"Ugh!" Brooke shouted, as the rag grazed her skin. "Now I'm going to have to go home and…_disinfect_. I don't know how you touch that thing all day."

"It's called a rag, Brooke."

"Oh my God."

"_Okay_, I didn't think that was really earth shattering news b-."

"Lucas!" Brooke whispered, grabbing Haley's arm, and pointing to the blonde Scott brother, who was quickly approaching from outside. "You have got to hide me."

"Fine, go, um, behind the counter." Haley replied, as Brooke quickly ran behind the counter, crouching down.

"This is_ so_ disgusting! Do you like _ever_ clean the floor? I can practically see the germs!"

"Shut up, Brooke." Haley said through clenched teeth, as the bell on the door chimed.

"Hey, Hales." Lucas smiled at his best friend, as he slid onto a stool. "It's pretty dead around here." Lucas concluded, as he looked around the quiet café.

"Well I told you to stop scaring away the customers, Luke." Haley laughed, collecting the deserted plates from the empty tables.

"Ha ha." Lucas gave a fake laugh, rolling his eyes good naturedly at Haley who smiled at him. "I was under the impression that the lack of business was because of you. At least that's what my mom said."

"Did not." Haley grinned, stacking the dishes in the back. "So what's up?"

"Well Brooke broke up with me, and Peyton told me she loves me."

"Oh."

Lucas laughed. "You know that's pretty much the same reaction I had when Peyton told me. The whole thing is just really messed up, Hales."

"Sounds like it. I just really didn't think that whole love triangle was ever going to repeat itself." Haley admitted, going behind the counter where Brooke was knelt over.

"Yeah well, Brooke wants nothing to do with me, and I can't say I blame her." Lucas divulged, playing with the miniature salt and pepper shakers on the counter.

"What about Peyton?" Haley asked, forgetting Brooke was there. She looked down at her friend, who glared at her.

"What about her? I love Brooke." Lucas professed, smiling sadly at Haley. "But maybe it's better we're done, you know?"

"Yeah." Haley coughed, "Well, I really got to get back to work, so…"

"_What_? I'm your only customer."

"Well, you're loitering, anyway. So shoo…"

"Hey, it's okay I know when I'm not wanted. Well, I guess I'll have to go find my other best friend to annoy." Lucas smiled, getting off the stool and heading for the door. "Maybe she'll actually want to talk to me."

"See you later, Luke." Haley laughed, watching him walk down the street. "He's gone, Brooke." Haley said, when she was sure Lucas wasn't going to turn around.

"Brooke?" Haley knelt down next to her, wrapping her arms around Brooke's shoulders.

"I can't tell him Haley." Brooke whispered, tears streaming down her face. Haley wiped the strands of hair that clung to her tear stained face away, pulling Brooke closer.

"We're both going to be okay, Brooke Davis. I promise, because no matter _what_, I'll always be here for you." Haley murmured, as she held a sobbing Brooke in her arms, both of them hidden behind the counter of Karen's Café. As the words slipped out of her mouth, Haley wondered how she'd live up to the first part of her promise. She just hoped for the both of them that she could.


	2. Dear Scene, I Wish I Was Deaf

**Okay, I'm really sorry it took me this long to update, I've just been really busy with school, and work. But, I finally took some time to sit down and work on this story. Sorry if it sucks, I didn't have that much time, so I did what I could. **

**Anyways, the italics are basically just a flashback of the brucas breakup. (The same one as in season 4)**

**Thanks for those that review!! I love reading them! **

~*~

Haley James Scott opened up her book bag, as she walked, extracting a faded picture of her and Nathan, taken on the day of their wedding. Everything had been so simple then, so clear-cut and uncomplicated.

She had no idea how Nathan would respond to her startling news. She wasn't even sure how she felt about it yet. She was still trying to process everything herself. She gently traced the outline of Nathan's face with her finger, as she attempted to remember everything about the day, the picture was taken.

That day he had requested her hand in marriage, immensely transforming her life and _her_. The day when they had joined hands, creating a bond that was supposed to forever remain unmarred. She had presumed that their love would always be enough, and she prayed now that it would be.

"Hales!" Lucas Scott called, trailing behind his best friend. He ran across the courtyard of Tree Hill high, as Haley turned around at the sound of her name. "Wait up!" He gasped, as he finally caught up with her, a grin on his face.

"What are you so happy about?" Haley asked him, shoving the picture back inside her bag. "The last time I saw you, you were crying like a teenage girl who just found out that her boyfriend was cheating on her. Oh no, wait, that would be Brooke."

"It was a kiss, Hales," Lucas proclaimed, "And you of all people, should not be condemning me."

"You know what? You're right. But, Brooke deserves so much better than that, Luke. From both of you."

"You think I don't know that?" Lucas snapped, "Look, I need your help getting her back, Hales."

"I don't think I can really help you in that area," Haley rolled her eyes, "I think that's all up to you."

"Look, just make sure Brooke is in the courtyard at noon, okay?" Lucas protested, adjusting the faded brown canvas bag, that hung over his shoulder.

"Oh-kay, can I at least know why?" Haley laughed, as they stopped outside the front doors of the school.

"You know those DVD's you left at my house?"

"Yeah," Haley grinned, "The O.C.?"

"Yep. Well, they are the key to getting Brooke back."

"Lucas, are you sure you're okay?"

"I've never felt better. But, I would feel even better, if you stopped looking at me like I'm insane."

"I will…once, you stop talking like you are."

"I'll see you at lunch." Lucas told her, giving her a quick hug before heading back inside the building.

"Just don't do anything stupid." She muttered to herself.

~*~

_Brooke knocked slowly on Lucas's door, her mind working at full speed. It had been two days since the accident on the bridge, and two days since she'd spoken to or even seen Lucas. Rachel had given her a pair of house keys, inviting her to stay in her vacant house. Brooke had gratefully accepted, and collected her belongings from Peyton's. She was in no mood to play games with Peyton or listen to excuses that could never justify what she did. Brooke sighed, hearing Lucas unlock the deadbolt, as he swung the wooden door open. This was it._

"_Hey." Lucas smiled, looking down at her. _

"_I'd-." Brooke stopped talking, as she noticed the petite blonde perched comfortably on Lucas's bed. _

"_We were just-." Lucas mumbled, motioning towards Peyton. _

"_I'd like to talk to my boyfriend," Brooke said coldly, "Alone."_

_Peyton walked towards the door, brushing past Brooke. She knew that when she told Brooke how she felt about Lucas, it would change things between them. But, she could never have predicted that Brooke would act like this. She had hoped that laying everything on the table and being honest would help things. Obviously, that wasn't going to happen. _

"_Nice job not hitting on him." Brooke snapped, glaring at her former best friend._

"_Luke, I'll get those CD's later," Peyton told him ignoring Brooke, "But, thanks for the sex." Peyton said sarcastically, slipping out the door. _

"_She's just-," Lucas's voice broke, "joking." He finished, gesturing towards the closed door. "I …was trying to call you."_

"_You mean, when you weren't hanging out with Peyton?" Brooke said, looking away from him. She knew coming here and doing this would be hard, but the way he was looking at her nearly broke her heart. _

"_Come on, Brooke? You never called me back." Lucas replied, trying not to get frustrated with her. He didn't understand how everything could have changed so drastically, while he was gone. _

" _Now you know how I feel … Listen, I know it's been difficult for you lately. Losing Keith and your heart condition and giving up basketball. I feel like … I've been keeping you close to me to try and protect you from those things…like I'm hanging on to the two of us for you … but not for me."_

"_I'm sorry I kissed, Peyton," Lucas sighed, sitting down on the chair in the corner, "I should've told you." _

_It's not about that, Luke … it's not...I… I thought that it was, but this is not about her. This is about me … I love you, Lucas. And I probably always will. But we go days without having a meaningful conversation … and I use to miss you so much when that happened…But it never seemed like you missed me. And I guess because of it I stopped missing you. I mean, look at today there was … there was an accident, and you called me afterwards….But making a mix with Peyton? Sharing a laugh with Peyton … it shouldn't be, should it? It shouldn't be like this, Luke."_

"_Brooke."_

"_I can't do this anymore."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Yeah, me, too."_

~*~

Brooke sipped her lightly blended Mocha Frappuccino that she had purchased from a sleazy looking guy, who operated a cheap, rundown coffee stand around the corner. It seemed fitting as how she was standing outside an abortion clinic.

No matter how many times she told herself having the baby wouldn't change her life, she knew that it would. Bringing a child into the world would be horrible for the baby, too. Brooke was not a mother figure, she had no experience with children, and didn't really want any. That just was not her. She knew that Lucas would never stand for adoption, and Brooke agreed with him. Look what it had done to Peyton.

She tried to pull the long wool coat she was wearing tighter against her small frame, wishing she'd brought something warmer along. She wondered how she'd feel after the procedure was done. If she'd feel numb to everything, or if the guilt of what she'd done would tear her apart.

_I'm too sexy for my car_

_Too sexy by far_

_Too sexy for my hat, _

_Whatcha think about that?_

Brooke bit her lip, as Lucas's ringtone went off. She pulled the cell phone out of her pocket, a small grin on her lips. Lucas had programmed the ringtone into her phone, so every time he called, she'd be reminded of how sexy he was. As if she could forget. She promptly clicked the ignore button, and turned off the phone.

~*~

"Come on, Brooke!" Haley yelled, dialing her number again. She'd looked for Brooke in all the classes they shared, and her seat had remained empty throughout all of them. "Pick up!"

"Trust me, you don't want to know where she is." Rachel declared, sliding up next to Haley in the barren hallway.

"Trust me, I _do_," Haley growled, "Where is she?"

"Here." Rachel handed her a pamphlet, with an address and time circled in red pen. "Looks like Brookie JR is attending her own funeral."

"Where did you get this, Rachel?" Haley asked her, snapping her phone shut, and tossing into back into her bag.

"I found it in Brooke's stuff. I'm proud of her. I mean, can you imagine if she actually went through with having this kid?" Rachel laughed, "She'd not only ruin both her and Lucas's lives…but can you imagine how fucked up _that_ kid would be?"

"Well, I guess killing it would be better," Haley cried, "Do you even know what you're saying, Rachel?"

"I'm saying that neither of them are ready to have a baby," Rachel sighed, "It's high school, Haley. Imagine their life in four years, if Brooke actually kept the baby."

~*~

Brooke parked her blue BMW, grabbed her pink messenger-style bag, and strode towards the front doors of her school. She quickly pulled out her phone, checking to make sure she hadn't missed anything important while she was gone. Four phone calls from Nathan and Haley, two from Lucas, one from Rachel, and one from Peyton. Today was so not her day.

"Hey, Brooke!" Rachel chirped, as she brushed past her heading for the locker room.

"_Not _now, Rachel." Brooke said, through gritted teeth.

"So you got there okay, right? Cause you forget the address at home." Rachel replied, the pamphlet that Brooke had hidden, laying in her outstretched hand. "Nice walk of shame outfit, by the way."

"Okay, since when is it okay to go through my things?" Brooke grumbled, jerking the paper out of her hands. "I'm _so _locking up my stuff."

"So how was it?" Rachel prodded, "I heard it's painless. For you, not the baby, of course."

"I wouldn't know, and i-"

"Brooke! I've been looking all over for you!" Haley ran up to her, a bottle of water in her hands. "Can we talk? I ju-."

"Sure, Haley. I just have to take care of one little thing first." Brooke told her, grabbing the opened container of water out of her hands, and throwing it at Rachel. "_Sorry_, I just wanted to see if witches actually melted. I heard they did."

"Brooke! Oh my G-." Haley laughed, as the water dripped off a seething Rachel.

~*~

"Brooke, I can't believe you did that!" Haley grinned, as she led the brunette out to the courtyard. "I thought you guys were getting along better."

"We were…. Until she crossed the line." Brooke shrugged, flipping her dark mane of hair over her shoulders.

"So I'm guessing your needing a place to crash tonight?" Haley smiled, wrapping her arm around Brooke. "Look, can we talk after lunch?"

"Sure. But why are you dragging me here anyways? I lost my appetite back there."

"You have to eat, Brooke. You know that." Haley whispered, as they entered the crowded courtyard. She scanned the area for Lucas, finally picking him out of the mass of students. "Come on, over here." She told her, walking over to an almost full table.

"Hey, guys!" Bevin squealed, as the two of them took a seat. "Are you feeling okay, Brooke? You sort of look greenish… and sick." Bevin added, as she watched Brooke.

"Gee, thanks Bevin!" Brooke said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"She's just tired." Haley smiled, making eyes at Brooke. Haley had no idea what to expect, regarding Brooke and Lucas. She wasn't even sure why Lucas wanted Brooke, here. She knew that Brooke wouldn't even speak to Lucas, and maybe he just needed someone to be the middle man, and get Brooke here.

Brooke raised her eyebrow, shaking her head at Haley. She was just not in the mood to play the "I'm fine" card. Maybe Haley had no problem putting on a show for everyone, but Brooke knew that it could only last for so long.

"Brooke?" Hearing Lucas's voice behind her, she shuddered. He was the last person she wanted to see.

"Hi, Luke. _Bye,_ Luke." Brooke chimed, getting up from the table, and picking up her things. "Well, it was really nice talking to you."

"I didn't want to have to do this." Lucas said, as he stepped on the cold concrete bench, Brooke had been sitting on a minute ago, and climbed onto the stone table, where he stood up.

"Okay, you didn't have to go all drama king on me." Brooke mumbled, looking up at him. She willed herself not to get that feeling that in the pit of her stomach that she always got when she looked into his eyes, but it was there. She mentally tried to take in everything about him, while she still could. Things from his recently buzzed hair, to the dimples that appeared periodically, when he smiled. She watched him, as he tugged self-consciously on his baggy white T-shirt and worn jeans. She wished she could memorize every detail of him, because she knew the last two days of not seeing him, would eventually turn into much longer.

"Oh, no." She heard Haley mutter, as the entire courtyard focused on the elder Scott brother.

His light green eyes found Brooke's, as his voice traveled over the silent campus, "If all of you don't know already, I am completely in love with this girl," He said, gesturing to Brooke, "and it's taken us awhile, but we've managed to get to that point where you trust the other person with your life. At least, I know that I have," He looked at her," And I'm sorry if you ever felt like I betrayed that trust, but my heart is with you….. It always has been... And if this is the only way you'll listen to me, or even speak to me, then that's okay. Because, I should have never let you walk out that door, _again_….But, it's like you always have an out. An exit strategy to make sure you don't get hurt. You _always_ walk away. You walk away before anyone can walk away from _you_. I'm not that kind of guy….and if I have to spend the rest of my life, proving it to you, I will. Because, I love you, Brooke Davis," He shrugged, gazing down at her.

"You say you're not that guy, Luke…. Well, that girl you just described. The one you think you know so well. I'm not her anymore. She's gone. And she's _not_ about to come back to you." Brooke heard the words escape her lips, before she could even think about what she was saying. But, in her heart she knew that there was no other way. She had to stay away from Lucas Scott, the only boy she ever really loved.

~*~


End file.
